Land of my birth lapped by waves, Beautiful country of enchanted Moorish maidens, Where love weaves legends and where fairies In moon castles dance rounds... Oh my Algarve, I want you to hide me away... Cândido Guerreiro
preface
Tourists and visitors to the Algarve coast are attracted by the warmth of the beaches with their white sands and by the magical way the cliffs of the western Algarve and the islets of the eastern Algarve intersect the sea. All along this coast bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, the cataplana is recognised as an icon of the local cuisine. The expansion of the tourist industry has naturally boosted restaurant demand, and the cataplana occupies a prominent place by the doors and windows of many establishments. Despite the cataplana’s conspicuousness in coastal areas, there continues to be widespread ignorance of the utensil, its history, role and potential in the region’s cuisine. Local people no longer keep it in their homes and recipes appear to be being lost from one generation to another, especially
Preface
those involving ingredients that are more typical of rural inland areas of the Algarve. Although it can certainly be found, the cataplana is not regarded as a symbol of the Algarve’s culinary heritage. With the changing profile of tourist consumers, who now value more genuine experiences in which the authenticity and identity of tourism products are important factors in the buying decision, there is a great need to project the cataplana as emblematic of the Algarve region, both for its functionality which makes it suitable for preparing a variety of recipes, and for its roots in the Moorish influence from North Africa which for over 500 years left its mark on the historical and cultural identity of the Algarve.
This book is part of a wider project whose aim is to increase awareness and appreciation of the Algarve cataplana and the region’s cuisine.
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Promoted by a partnership between Tertúlia Algarvia - Algarve Traditional Culture and Cuisine Knowledge Centre, the Algarve Tourism Board and the Algarve Promotion Bureau, the Algarve Cataplana project organised a number of initiatives in 2014 and 2015 in Portugal and other European countries. As part of the project, several cataplana demonstrations were organised for local Algarve residents, tourists, journalists and tour operators.
Finally, celebrated Portuguese and foreign chefs present the reader with cataplana recipes specially created and reinterpreted for this project, thereby contributing invaluably to the promotion of the Algarve’s culinary heritage. We invite you to join us in this adventure into the world of the Algarve Cataplana, initially as a reader and, who knows, perhaps later as a cook.
In parallel with the development and publication of this book, the preparation of eight recipes was also filmed on video, available free online in several languages. This first edition of the book “The Algarve Cataplana: Traditions and Reinterpretations” includes a brief history of the utensil which will, we hope, add piquancy to the texts that follow, which describe the traditional ingredients and recipes of the region.
Preface
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contents 02 07 11 12
Preface The Algarve cataplana Documenting the culinary heritage of the Algarve Team
Recipes and ingredients of the Algarve coast 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39
Dried dogfish and white bean cataplana Octopus and sweet potato cataplana Prawn and razor clam cataplana, served with corn porridge Shellfish cataplana Fish and seafood cataplana Tuna belly cataplana Sardine cataplana Stingray and clam cataplana Stingray, mussel and purslane cataplana Mixed cataplana Prawn cataplana Mackerel, sweet potato and wild thyme cataplana
Recipes and ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59
Churra lamb, wild thyme and dried fig cataplana Chicken, sweet potato and clam cataplana Scrambled egg and tomato cataplana Pea, chorizo and quail egg cataplana Broad bean, sausage and pork rib cataplana Pear, wine and spices cataplana Fig, spices and lemon thyme cataplana Salt cod cataplana Pork rib and octopus cataplana
Recipes and ingredients of the Algarve Serra 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79
Hare cataplana Eel and white sauce cataplana Wild boar cataplana Grey mullet and water mint cataplana Partridge and wild mushroom cataplana Lamprey cataplana Largemouth bass and pennyroyal cataplana Migas and coffee cataplana Wild rabbit and truffle cataplana
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana. Auteur recipes
127 131
Scarlet shrimp cataplana by Alberto Carvalho Grapes and wine cataplana by Augusto Lima Berry fruit cataplana with carob biscuit and bitter almond ice cream by Carlos Valente Love Algarve cataplana by Chakall Cowpea, seasonal mushrooms and local herb cataplana by Diogo Noronha Mackerel cataplana with cockles, razor clams and corn porridge by Frederico Lopes Santa Luzia octopus and Aljezur sweet potato cataplana by Henrique Leandro Sea bass, prawn and crab ravioli cataplana by João Santana Monkfish with razor clams and peas cataplana by Justa Nobre Dried dogfish and Algarve moxama cataplana by Lígia Santos Baby squid, red shrimp, razor clam and Monchique chorizo cataplana by Manfred Kickmaier Stingray, mussel and Pata Negra cured ham cataplana by Paulo Fortes Cataplana “Renato Costa” by Nuno Diniz
135 138 141
Among the timeless flavours of Renato Costa Interesting facts and tips Acknowledgements
83 87 91 95 99 103 107 111 115 119 123
the Algarve cataplana
I come from the depth of infancy and bring with me the ancestral echo of the uneasiness of free men the world over. A maverick and unstable atom in search of its scarce, elusive and nomadic neutrino. Miguel Afonso Andersen
The word cataplana refers not only to the region’s most famous traditional dish, with its varying aromas, flavours and colours, but is also the name of the distinctive utensil used in its preparation. This type of metal pan, originally made of copper or brass, consists of two concave halves joined by a hinge and with two side clips, enabling it to be closed tightly. Nowadays, versions of the utensil are available in new materials and with modern, functional lines suitable for today’s induction hobs. Little is known about the origins of the cataplana because there are few historical records about its creation. Similarities suggest that it may have been inspired by the bivalves in the Ria Formosa since bivalves, especially clams, are one of the ingredients most commonly used in cataplanas. More plausibly, though still undocumented, it is thought that its provenance and diffusion The Algarve Cataplana
throughout the south of Portugal can be traced to the Moorish occupation, as there are indications of the same style of preparation in other regions influenced by those peoples. Slow steam cooking at low temperatures in a hermetically sealed container, as is the case with the cataplana, is also found in another utensil, the clay tajine traditionally used by some north African peoples. The particular shape of the cataplana, designed for ease of transport attached to a belt or in the saddlebags of animals and for versatility, since the ingredients can be stored inside it until it is time to cook them, may have contributed in the past to its widespread use along fishermen, hunters and nomads generally. Indeed, there are various references to its use by Arab fishermen to cook fish. Records mention the practice of digging a hole in the ground in which the cataplana was placed on glowing embers and covered with sand. This type of al fresco cooking is widely documented in the historical records of various peoples in antiquity and its use with the cataplana is therefore entirely plausible.
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Although not hermetically sealed like a pressure cooker, the cataplana works in a similar way, and can therefore be described as an early version of the modern utensil. The wider use of the pressure cooker, which is very common in modern-day homes, does not appear logical, however, given the clear advantages that its counterpart, the cataplana, offers and that ought to give it pride of place in the domestic kitchen.
Perhaps the most important and distinctive aspect of the cataplana is that the unique flavours and aromas created inside it are retained in the food, providing diners with a unique sensory experience. The cataplana, the history of which appears to be lost in the mists of the time, now exists almost everywhere in the Algarve, simmering away on the back burner ready to be rediscovered. Reinvented.
Like the pressure cooker, the form of the cataplana ensures that the steam from cooking the food is retained in the utensil, generating an increase in pressure and permitting cooking temperatures above 100°C. In addition, its concave shape, together with the excellent thermal conductivity of copper, means that the heat is distributed more uniformly in its interior, thereby ensuring more even cooking of the food. On a low heat, for example, this heat distribution makes the utensil more energy efficient.
The Algarve Cataplana
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Each of us is as he is, and so I am as I am, I gave all my time to others, and ended up with no time for myself. Joaquim de MagalhĂŁes
documenting the culinary heritage of the Algarve In the first three chapters, we invite the reader to explore the varied geology of the Algarve as we visit the distinctive landscapes of the coast, the Barrocal and the Serra. This journey through the knowledge and flavours of each region is the outcome of careful research by a team of chefs. João Santos, Rui Baltazar and Vítor Matos, led by chef Augusto Lima, have unearthed recipes from the past, either written down or related orally by the inhabitants of each zone, and have reinvented some for the cataplana. The result of this exercise is thirty dishes that illustrate the broad range of Algarve cuisine, enabling the reader to perceive clearly the historical significance of the cataplana as a cooking utensil and its infinite potential as a factor of cultural distinctiveness.
Culinary Heritage of the Algarve
The team were surprised by the versatility of the utensil, discovering recipes that go way beyond the usual fish or shellfish recipes. Although the “coastal cataplanas” are the most common and the best known, a wide variety of ingredients are cooked in the cataplana, including meat and vegetables. The reader is invited to discover not only the traditional cataplana recipes but also other, more innovative recipes made with Algarve ingredients. Of the chefs, whose dedication and hard work have enabled us to rediscover this intangible heritage that forms part of the history of various peoples, it should be said that they are all Algarvians, at least at heart.
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team Chef Augusto Lima
Chef João Santos
Chef Rui Baltazar
Chef Vítor Matos
The invitation to Augusto Lima to lead this project, although that decision was based on an early stage in his career marked by his dedication to preserving the Mediterranean diet and Algarve cuisine, was in the end a reflection of his personal qualities. His hands-on attitude, communication skills and passion for cooking led to him not only coordinating the team that managed the documentary process, but also personally organising all the project’s public demonstrations involving other chefs and companies.
Born in Mértola, in the Baixo Alentejo, João Santos is intimately familiar with the Algarve, its indigenous ingredients and traditional recipes from south of the Tagus. He is Executive Chef of a hotel group. His thorough knowledge of the Algarve was crucial to this project, enabling him to impart an authentic touch to the dishes he makes.
An Algarvian to the core - or to the “yolk” as they say locally - Rui Baltazar was born in Castro Marim, among the meanders of the Guadiana. He has worked in the restaurant trade for approximately 30 years. His professional career is also thoroughly Algarvian since he has worked exclusively in the region, specialising, as might be expected, in traditional cuisine.
A native of Odemira, Vítor Matos moved at an early age to the Algarve, where he has worked in various restaurants. During the last ten years, he has been involved in projects focusing on traditional Algarve and Alentejo cuisine. His cooking can be said to be composed of strong flavours, which only ingredients from the Algarve Serra guarantee.
recipes and ingredients of the Algarve coast With its extensive coastline washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Algarve is famed internationally for its beaches. The coast’s particular geology results in an abundance and diversity that influence the region’s cuisine.
Algarve The purer than pure light Over the dry land I love the song the air the anemone the jellyfish The rocks intersecting the sea A man climbs the hill drawing The transparent afternoon of the spiders The purer than pure light Shatters his lance Sophia de Mello Breyner Andersen
The main source of ingredients is the sea, so here we find a variety of fish, especially sardines, mackerel or tuna, celebrated molluscs such as octopus and cuttlefish, seafood like shrimp and lobster and shellfish such as oysters, tellins, clams and razor clams. In the following pages, you will find an anthology of traditional recipes made from a wide variety of fish and seafood.
dried dogfish and white bean cataplana preparation Serves 4 300 g dried dogfish 500 g white beans 2 medium onions 3 ripe tomatoes 1 green pepper 4 garlic cloves 2 cloves 1 bay leaf Parsley Broth from cooking the beans ½ dl olive oil ½ dl white wine 100% coarse sea salt Ground cumin
The day before, cook the beans and cloves in the usual way, taking care that there is at least 1 litre of cooking broth when cooked. Soak the dried dogfish in lightly salted water for at least 6 hours. Cut into generous chunks. Blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin and dice them. Dice the peppers without removing the seeds. Chop the onions and garlic cloves.
Put olive oil in the cataplana and sauté the bay leaf together with all the vegetables. Add the white wine. Bring to the boil again and add the dogfish. Boil and adjust the seasoning. Add the beans and the desired amount of broth. Check the salt and season with cumin and parsley. Close the cataplana and boil for approximately another 5 minutes.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
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octopus and sweet potato cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g octopus 2 large sweet potatoes 100 g lean bacon, with meat or smoked ham 1 large onion 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 3 garlic cloves 1 chilli 1 bay leaf 1 dl olive oil 1 dl octopus cooking broth ½ dl white wine Paprika Rosemary Thyme Mint Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
The day before, rinse the octopus well and place in a pan without water, with the onion, crushed unpeeled garlic cloves and chilli. Cook for about 45 minutes, initially on a high heat and with the pan uncovered. Once it comes to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to minimum. Remove the octopus from the pan as soon as it is cooked and reserve the broth. Meanwhile, bake or roast the sweet potato in its skin. Cut the onion and peppers, including the seeds, in julienne strips and the garlic in slices and dice the bacon.
Add olive oil to the cataplana and brown the bacon and the remaining ingredients. Add the white wine and bring to the boil. Add the octopus cut into chunks, the paprika, the potatoes peeled and thickly sliced, and about 1 dl of octopus cooking broth. Add the herbs, cover and boil for about 3-4 minutes.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
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prawn and razor clam cataplana, served with corn porridge preparation Serves 4 For the prawn broth Prawn shells 1 bay leaf Coriander Water For the prawn sauce 1 small onion Prawn heads Olive oil 2 garlic cloves 1 chilli 100% coarse sea salt For the cataplana 200 g carpet shell clams 600 g prawns 500 g razor clams 2 very ripe medium tomatoes 1 large onion 1 green pepper 2 garlic cloves 1 chilli Olive oil Prawn sauce For the corn porridge 200 g maize flour 100 g maize meal Prawn broth Olive oil Coriander Coarse sea salt Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Shell the prawns. Make an aromatic broth with the shells, some of the coriander and a bay leaf. Set aside. Make a sauce with the shrimp heads by sautéing them with olive oil, onion, garlic and chilli. Chop finely, strain and set aside. To make the corn porridge, use two parts corn flour to one part maize meal, the prawn shell broth and coarsely chopped coriander added at the end after adjusting the seasoning. The secret is to start the process with cold broth and gradually add more as the mixture thickens until it reaches the desired consistency and is cooked.
In the cataplana, sauté the onion, garlic, chilli and bay leaf in olive oil. Add the diced tomato and the pepper cut in strips, including the seeds. Add the prawns and simmer for 1 minute. Add the prawn sauce. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, make razor clams “à Bulhão Pato”, starting by frying garlic cloves in olive oil. Then add chopped coriander and the razor clams and season with salt. Continue shaking the frying pan until the clams open, then cover them with wine. Add this mixture to that prepared earlier, close the cataplana and cook for a further 2 minutes. Serve the cataplana accompanied by the corn porridge.
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shellfish cataplana preparation Serves 4 200 g clams 200 g razor clams 200 g cockles 200 g mussels 60 g fatty bacon 2 medium onions 1½ red peppers 4 garlic cloves 1 chilli 1 bay leaf ½ dl olive oil 2 dl stout Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Cut the onions into half-moons, crush the unpeeled garlic, cut the peppers into thin strips with the seeds and dice the bacon. Sauté everything in the cataplana in olive oil with a chilli split lengthwise and a bay leaf. Add all the shellfish, sprinkle with salt and cover with the beer. Add the coriander, close the cataplana and cook over a high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Suggestion: serve with toasted bread brushed with olive oil.
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fish and seafood cataplana preparation Serves 4 150 g grouper 150 g snapper 150 g prawns 100 g clams 2 medium onions 2 large very ripe tomatoes 1 green pepper 1 red pepper 6 small new potatoes 1 chunk cured ham 4 garlic cloves 1 dl olive oil 1 dl white wine 1 bay leaf 1 chilli Coriander and mint 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Clean and cut the fish into generous, equal size pieces. Season with salt. Cook the potatoes in their skins. Peel the potatoes and set aside. Slice the onion and tomato in rounds, slice the peppers and garlic and cut the ham into thin strips.
In the cataplana, arrange alternate layers of vegetables, fish, ham, half the herbs, bay leaf, chilli and salt. Drizzle with olive oil and add the wine. Top with the clams and prawns. Close and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes. After this time, open the cataplana, add the potatoes cut in half, top with the remaining herbs and close again. Simmer for 5 more minutes, turning the cataplana several times.
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tuna belly cataplana preparation Serves 4 300 g tuna belly 100 g tellins 200 g clams 1 large sweet potato 2 medium tomatoes 1 medium onion 6 sprigs of samphire 100 g hulled almonds 2 dl olive oil 1 bay leaf 5 garlic cloves Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Trim and cut the tuna belly into small cubes. Lightly toast the almonds. Slice the onion and garlic thinly. Skin and chop the tomato. Bake and cut the sweet potato into rounds.
Place half the onion, the chopped garlic and the bay leaf in the cataplana. Place the tuna belly, sweet potato and toasted almonds on top. Then add more onion, garlic, tomato and samphire. Drizzle with olive oil, close the cataplana and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Open the cataplana, adjust the seasoning, add the coriander, tellins and clams and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes.
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sardine cataplana preparation Serves 4 700 g medium-sized sardines 400 g white potatoes 4 ripe medium tomatoes 2 large onions 2 garlic cloves 1 dl olive oil 1 dl white wine 1 bay leaf 1 chilli Water mint Parsley Sweet paprika 100% coarse sea salt
Sprinkle the sardines with coarse salt and set aside. Cut the potatoes, onion, tomato and garlic in rounds. Remove the head and guts of the sardines and wash them thoroughly. In the bottom of the cataplana, place the chilli and alternate layers of onions, tomatoes, potatoes and garlic, seasoning each layer with salt and paprika. Top with the sardines, herbs, olive oil and wine. Close the cataplana and cook over a low heat, turning the cataplana occasionally. Note: if the sardines are small, you can put them on top. If they are large, you can cut them at an angle and alternate them in layers with the remaining ingredients, like you would make a fish stew.
Suggestion: serve piping hot with slices of bread and boiled potato.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
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stingray and clam cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g stingray 500 g clams 1 large onion 2 ripe medium tomatoes 4 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 dl fish broth 1 dl white wine 1 dl olive oil Coriander White pepper 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Clean and cut the stingray into portions and season with salt and pepper. Make an aromatic broth with the bones and skin and coriander. With a mortar and pestle, crush the coriander and garlic to a paste.
In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the onion and chopped tomatoes in olive oil. Add the wine, tomato paste, broth, half the coriander paste and the fish. Close the cataplana and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the clams and the rest of the coriander paste. Close, shake the cataplana and allow to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
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stingray, mussel and purslane cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g stingray 400 g mussels 1 large onion 2 ripe medium tomatoes 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (massa de pimentĂŁo) 1 bunch purslane 1 dl olive oil 2 dl white wine Samphire Coriander Pepper 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Clean the fish and cut into portions. Season with salt and set aside.
Place all the ingredients in the cataplana in alternate layers, starting with the mussels. Mix the liquid ingredients together and pour over the fish. Close the cataplana and cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes.
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mixed cataplana preparation Serves 4 100 g pork leg 150 g monkfish 150 g sea bass 120 g small sardines 100 g prawns (size 40/60 per kilo) 150 g clams ½ chorizo 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 large ripe tomato 1 medium onion 6 garlic cloves 2 bay leaves 1 chilli 1 dl olive oil 1 dl white wine Coriander Pepper 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Cut the pork, sea bass and monkfish into cubes. Cut the peppers into strips including the seeds, and the onion, garlic and chorizo into rounds.
In the cataplana, begin by sealing the pork in olive oil. Add the garlic and chorizo and sautĂŠ a little longer. Add layers of onions and peppers. Add the wine, close the cataplana and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sardines, prawns, clams, chilli and coriander. Close and cook over a low heat, turning the cataplana from time to time.
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prawn cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g prawns (size 30/40 per kilo) 1 large onion 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 chilli 4 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf Juice of 1 lemon 1 dl olive oil ½ dl white wine Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Start by shelling and gutting the prawns, leaving the heads and tails on. Add olive oil to the cataplana and sweat the garlic until golden. Add the prawns, allow to cook for 30 seconds and then add the rest of the solid ingredients. Close the cataplana and cook for 2 minutes over a high heat. Splash with white wine and add the coriander. Close the cataplana and cook for a further 30 seconds.
With the heat turned off, add the lemon juice. Close and turn the cataplana so that the flavours blend together, and it is ready to serve.
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mackerel, sweet potato and wild thyme cataplana preparation Serves 4 700 g mackerel 2 medium onions 1 green pepper 1 ripe “Rose” tomato 2 sweet potatoes 60 g lean bacon 1 chilli 4 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 1 dl olive oil ½ dl white wine 2 dl water Wild thyme 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Coast
Clean the mackerel, remove the head and cut into half at an angle. Season with salt and set aside. Bake the sweet potato in its skin.
In the cataplana, sauté the lean bacon in olive oil. Add a splash of wine. Add all the ingredients, close the cataplana and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Open the cataplana, add the potatoes cut into rounds or diced and arrange around. Arrange the mackerel and thyme leaves on top. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve after it has rested for 2 minutes.
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recipes and ingredients of the Algarve barrocal
The Barrocal with its characteristic limestone formations winds across the interior of the Algarve. Here can be found vast expanses of rainfed orchards of incalculable value to the local economy. Olive, carob, almond, orange and fig trees merge together on the horizon, creating an incredible palette of colours. The Barrocal’s unique location, positioned between the coast and the mountains, makes it a very varied kitchen where seafood combines with meat from locally raised herds, where vegetables from market gardens enrich cozidos and stews, and where nuts are a constant ingredient in desserts.
Embellishing the green and blue With the red of mature arbutus fruit And the gold of the sunset over the promontory I am as footloose as the rocks That loose themselves from the mountains Seeking the stillness of the valleys Where I exist, fleeting passenger of the light Fernando Rei LuĂs
churra lamb, wild thyme and dried fig cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g churra breed lamb 1 sweet potato 1 large ripe tomato 1 large onion 1 green pepper 5 garlic cloves 1 dl white wine ½ dl fig brandy 1 dl olive oil 150 g dried figs 2 bay leaves Wild thyme Mint Paprika Saffron 100% coarse sea salt
The day before, remove the skin and fat from the meat and cut into cubes. Season with fig brandy, paprika and half the wild thyme. Do not add salt.
Put olive oil in the cataplana and when hot, add the previously drained meat, and stir together. Set the meat aside. Dice the onion, garlic and pepper and add to the oil. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, chilli, wine and marinade. Mix from bottom to top and then add the tomato, meat, figs, spices and herbs. Adjust the salt, cover and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Open the cataplana and add the roasted hot potato cut into rounds. Decorate with wild thyme leaves and serve.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
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chicken, sweet potato and clam cataplana preparation Serves 4 450 g chicken 150 g fatty bacon 600 g clams 2 medium sweet potatoes 6 garlic cloves 1 large onion 1 green or red pepper 1 dl white wine 1 chilli Lemon juice Olive oil Paprika Rosemary Thyme Mint Coriander Oregano 100% coarse sea salt
The day before, cut the chicken into small pieces and season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme and white wine. Leave to marinate. On the day, bake the potato in its skin. Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain. In the cataplana, confit* the chicken in olive oil with the crushed unpeeled garlic and herbs from the marinade. Remove half the fat and use it to sauté the bacon, the onion cut into half-moons and chillies. Add the chicken, the wine from the marinade, the paprika and the pepper. Cover and let simmer for 4 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes cut in rounds, the clams, coriander, mint and oregano. Close the cataplana and simmer for another 4-5 minutes, turning the cataplana occasionally. Note: confiting consists of cooking for a long time at low temperature, beginning with “frying”, then lowering the temperature so that the food cooks in the fat. Interesting fact: this recipe is an adaptation of the traditional cataplana dish “Dona Galinha Foi à Praia” [Mrs Chicken went to the beach].
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
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scrambled egg and tomato cataplana preparation Serves 4 6 eggs 400 g ripe tomatoes 2 potatoes for frying 1 dl olive oil 180 g regional bread 1 bay leaf Sprig of oregano Pepper 100% coarse sea salt
Peel the potatoes and cut into thick sticks. Blanch and peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop finely. In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the tomatoes and bay leaf in olive oil. Meanwhile, fry the potatoes and toast slices of bread. Add the unsalted beaten eggs to the tomatoes. Stir until they are cooked. Season to taste.
Suggestion: to serve, put the fried potatoes and toasted bread around.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
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pea, chorizo and quail egg cataplana preparation Serves 4 1 kg peas 8 quails’ eggs 2 garlic cloves 1 large onion 1 meat and paprika chorizo 1 dl white wine Ÿ l water Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Chop the onion and garlic very finely. Slice the chorizo into rounds.
In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the onion, garlic and chorizo in olive oil. Add the peas and the liquids. Close the cataplana and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Add the coriander, roughly chopped. Adjust the spices and mix everything together well. Add the eggs, cover and allow to finish cooking.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
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broad bean, sausage and pork rib cataplana preparation Serves 4 1 kg broad beans 150 g Iberian pork spare ribs 150 g red chorizo 150 g boiled or cured blood sausage 1 large onion 8 garlic cloves 1 large ripe tomato ½ dl white wine ½ dl olive oil ½ dl water Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Slice the onion and garlic in half-moons. Cut the sausages in rounds and the spare ribs in small, equal size pieces. In the cataplana, seal the ribs in olive oil. Add the chorizos and let brown for 1 minute. Add the vegetables, cover with white wine and water, close the cataplana and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes. Open the cataplana, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for few minutes. Add the beans and coriander. Close and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Serve with a julienned lettuce salad.
Tip: remove the second skin from the broad beans before cooking.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
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pear, wine and spices cataplana preparation Serves 4 4 Rocha pears 2 red onions ½ red pepper 1 orange (juice and zest) 1 lemon (juice and zest) 120 g honey ½ dl white wine 1 cinnamon stick 2 cloves 1 star anise 1 bay leaf Saffron Coriander
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
Start by preparing the zest of the citrus fruits, which consists of removing the peel (the shiny part only) and cutting it into fine julienne strips. Juice the fruit. Cut the pears in half through the thickest part.
Place the honey, bay leaf and spices in the cataplana. Bring to the boil. Add the onion cut in half-moons and the pepper cut into thin strips. Boil for 1 minute. Add the pears, wine, juice and zest of the citrus fruit, saffron and coriander. Close the cataplana and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes.
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fig, spices and lemon thyme cataplana preparation Serves 4 300 g dried figs 2 red onions 100 g chopped or sliced almonds 1 lemon (juice and zest) 1 orange (juice and zest) 2 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 150 g wild honey 1 dl water ½ dl medronho brandy 1 bay leaf Fresh lemon thyme
Juice the citrus fruit, reserving the zest. Remove the stalks from the figs.
Place the honey, bay leaf and spices in the cataplana. Bring to the boil with the cataplana closed. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Add the medronho brandy and flambĂŠ by putting a lit match to the mixture as soon as it starts to boil. Add the figs, zest, juice and thyme. Close the cataplana and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes. Scatter over with toasted almonds.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
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salt cod cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g desalted cod 2 white potatoes 100 g cured ham 2 large onions 5-6 garlic cloves 1 red pepper 2 dl olive oil 1 dl port wine Water Coriander
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
Slice the potatoes, onions, pepper and garlic cloves in rounds. Cut the cod into equal size pieces.
Put olive oil in the cataplana and brown the potatoes and julienned ham. Add the onions, pepper, garlic, coriander and cod in alternate layers. Cover with the port wine and water. Cook over a low heat with the cataplana closed for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
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pork rib and octopus cataplana preparation Serves 4 For the octopus 600 g octopus 2 large onions 2 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf For the pork ribs 600 g meaty spare ribs 2 garlic cloves Paprika White wine Thyme For the cataplana 6 small new potatoes 1 red pepper 1 large onion 1 garlic clove Octopus cooking broth Olive oil White wine Coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Barrocal
The day before, make a marinade with the ribs cut into pieces, paprika, crushed unpeeled garlic and white wine. Cook the octopus, well washed and without adding water, with 1 onion, 1 crushed unpeeled garlic clove and 1 bay leaf for about 45 minutes. Start this step with the heat on maximum and the pan uncovered, covering it immediately and turning the heat to minimum when it starts to boil. Reserve the broth. On the day, bake the potatoes in their skins.
In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the potatoes, sliced in half, until golden and set aside. Brown the ribs in lard with the garlic. Remove half the fat, add the marinade and cook until tender. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Make alternate layers of ribs, potatoes, onions and octopus cut into pieces. Add the desired amount of octopus broth and the coriander, and cook with the cataplana closed for about 5 minutes.
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recipes and ingredients of the Algarve Serra The Algarve offers an extraordinary combination, with its temperate Mediterranean climate, fertile soil and prime location. As we enter the hills of the Algarve Serra, we discover another Algarve where the landscape is tinged with the dry green of oak, eucalyptus and pine trees and where the aromas of plants such as heather and lavender scent the air. Nestled along the banks of the rivers we find villages whose cobbled streets take us past carefully whitewashed chimneys, walls and ovens. The local people still understand the crafts of olden times, so it is common to encounter shepherds, millers, cork harvesters and artisans at their work. Here, our senses are piqued by the strong flavours of stewed, baked or smoked meats.
It is not only in a great land That poets sing well Nightingales are from the mountains And they can sing like nobody’s business António Aleixo
hare cataplana preparation Serves 4 700 g hare 200 g black olives 1 green pepper 100 g fatty bacon 1 tablespoon red pepper paste 4 garlic cloves 2 dl white wine 1 dl olive oil Water 100% coarse sea salt Pepper Mint Thyme
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
The day before, cut the hare into pieces and season with salt, pepper, red pepper paste, crushed unpeeled garlic, bay leaf and white wine. Leave to marinate.
On the day, put olive oil in the cataplana and fry the ribs cut in strips. Add the pieces of hare, well drained, and brown. Add the onion, pitted olives and green pepper. Add half the marinade and a little water. Adjust the seasoning, add the herbs and close the cataplana. Cook for about 6-8 minutes over a low heat.
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eel and white sauce cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g eels 4 small new potatoes 2 medium onions 1 red pepper 4 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf ½ l white wine 1 dl olive oil Parsley Fresh coriander 100% coarse sea salt
Clean the eels, cut into slices about 3 fingers thick and season with salt.
Put olive oil in the cataplana and add the sliced garlic, the bay leaf, and the onions and red pepper, including the seeds, cut into half-moons. SautĂŠ for approximately 3 minutes. Cover with wine, close the cataplana and cook for 1 minute more. Add the eels, turning them in the onion mixture. Add the potatoes cooked al dente, the parsley and the coriander. Adjust the salt. Close the cataplana and cook for about 8 minutes over a low heat.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
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wild boar cataplana preparation Serves 4 400 g wild boar meat 1 green pepper 2 large tomatoes 2 large onions 1 large carrot 4 garlic cloves 2 bay leaves 2 red potatoes 100 g butternut squash 100 g turnip 2 dl port wine 1 dl medronho brandy 1 dl olive oil Carqueja herb Thyme 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
The day before, cut the meat into small cubes and season with half the crushed garlic, the wine and brandy, and half the herbs. On the day, using the cataplana, cook the meat in the marinade, adding water as needed. Season with salt. Crush the garlic and dice the onion, the pepper including the seeds, the potatoes, tomatoes, squash and turnips.
In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the chorizo, onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the wild boar and cook, layered alternately with the remaining vegetables and herbs. Adjust the seasoning. Cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes until soft.
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grey mullet and water mint cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g grey mullet 6 small potatoes 1 large onion 2 ripe medium tomatoes 1 red pepper 3 garlic cloves 3 tablespoons tomato paste ½ l white wine 1 dl olive oil Water mint Coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
Cut the fish into portions and season with salt. Cook the potatoes in their skins.
In the cataplana, add the onion cut into half-moons, the sliced garlic and the red pepper including seeds cut into strips. SautĂŠ for 3 minutes. Add the fish, the cooked potato sliced into rounds and the diced tomatoes. Add the wine and tomato paste and season with mint. Close the cataplana and cook, turning occasionally.
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partridge and wild mushroom cataplana preparation Serves 4 4 partridges 150 g lean bacon 1 large onion 200 g wild mushrooms 1 pepper 6 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 1 dl olive oil 1 dl fig brandy 1 dl water or chicken broth 100% coarse sea salt
Clean and wash the partridges, cut into equal size pieces and season with salt, pepper, thyme, crushed unpeeled garlic and brandy. On the day, cut the onion into rounds and the bacon into strips.
In the cataplana, brown the partridge and the bacon in half the olive oil. Add the marinade and a little of the broth. Close the cataplana and cook for about 15 minutes over a low heat. Add the onion, pepper and bay leaf. Adjust the spices, close the cataplana and cook over a low heat for at least 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms, add the remaining broth and cook for a few seconds more. If you wish, you can sautĂŠ the mushrooms separately in a little olive oil and add at the last minute.
Suggestion: serve with potatoes cut in quarters and fried in olive oil.
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
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lamprey cataplana preparation Serves 4 1 kg lamprey 6 small potatoes 2 medium onions ½ dl white wine ½ dl red wine Lamprey blood 3 garlic cloves 1 dl olive oil Parsley Nutmeg 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
Remove the skin from the lamprey and collect the blood. Cut the lamprey into portions and marinade for 1-2 hours in the wines, nutmeg, parsley, chopped garlic and blood.
In the cataplana, sauté the diced onion in olive oil. Add the lamprey and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the marinade and blood. Close the cataplana and cook for another 4-6 minutes. Open the cataplana and add the potatoes cut into rounds and the parsley. Close the cataplana, bring to the boil and serve with toasted bread.
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largemouth bass and pennyroyal cataplana preparation Serves 4 600 g largemouth bass 2 large onions 6 small potatoes 1 green pepper 3 garlic cloves 1 chilli 1 dl olive oil 1 dl white wine Paprika Pennyroyal 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
Clean the bass and season with salt, wine and pennyroyal. Slice the onion and potatoes into rounds and the pepper, including seeds, into strips.
In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the chilli, onion, and pepper in olive oil. Add the potatoes, the marinade, the fish, paprika and pennyroyal. Close the cataplana and cook for approximately 10 minutes.
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migas and coffee cataplana preparation Serves 4 800 g regional bread 1 l filter coffee (about 200 g of coffee per litre of water) 2 garlic cloves 200 g fatty bacon 1 dl olive oil 1 bay leaf
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
Cut the stale bread into thin slices. If the bread is very hard, sprinkle with warm water to soften it. Make the coffee and let it rest to allow the grounds to settle. Put olive oil, bacon, bay leaf and crushed garlic in the cataplana. SautĂŠ and add the crumbled bread. Allow to brown. When it is evenly coloured, make a hole in the middle and pour in the coffee. Interesting fact: this recipe was inspired by a dish that our forebears used to eat in the morning before going to work in the fields. As a high-calorie breakfast, it provided the energy needed for the hard work that awaited them.
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wild rabbit and truffle cataplana preparation Serves 4 800 g wild rabbit 300 g truffles 2 medium onions 6 garlic cloves 30 g red pepper paste 2 dl port wine 1 bay leaf 1 dl olive oil Rosemary Pepper 100% coarse sea salt
Recipes and Ingredients of the Algarve Serra
The day before, clean and wash the rabbit, cut into small pieces and season with salt, pepper, red pepper paste, half the herbs and wine.
In the cataplana, brown the rabbit in olive oil and crushed unpeeled garlic. Add the onion, garlic and the marinade made the day before. Close the cataplana. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Open the cataplana and add the truffles, cut thickly. Adjust the seasoning, add a little water if necessary and close the cataplana. Cook over a low heat for approximately 3 minutes.
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creations and reinterpretations of cataplana: auteur recipes I prefer the sun, the river, the rock, the flower, even the sandal, to the word. Pedro Afonso
scarlet shrimp cataplana by Alberto Carvalho preparation Serves 4 8 scarlet shrimp 200 g mushrooms 1 sweet potato 1 onion 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 2 garlic cloves 1 star anise Coriander Samphire Olive oil White wine Salt
In the cataplana, sautĂŠ the onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil. Add the white wine. Cut the sweet potato into cubes, slice the mushrooms and peel the shrimp, leaving the heads and tails on. Then add all the ingredients to the previous mixture. Finally, add the coriander, the samphire and the star anise.
Alberto Carvalho Trained at the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School, Chef Alberto Carvalho heads the Ria Formosa restaurant in the Hotel Faro. Although he has worked outside the region, including in the Vasco da Gama Tower in Lisbon, his experience in various establishments in the Algarve has resulted in his being recognised for his modern approach to cuisine in which traditional roots dominate.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
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scarlet shrimp cataplana by Alberto Carvalho
grapes and wine cataplana by Augusto Lima preparation Serves 4
Augusto Lima A passionate supporter of causes, Chef Augusto Lima incorporates the principles of the Mediterranean diet and Algarve products in his cooking. He is involved in several projects at present as a consultant. It is also a supporter of the Algarve Slow Food Movement and a chef trainer at the Júlio Dantas School in Lagos and at IEFP in Portimão. His cooking can be described as passionate, sweet and sour, employing herbs and spices, combining technique with creativity and regarding sharing as the sole end.
1 kg sweet grapes, white or red 1 large red onion 1 large lemon ½ l sweet, fortified or white wine 100 g brown sugar if using fortified wine 180 g of white sugar if using sweet or white wine 2 star anise 4 cloves 1 ml water 1 dl medronho brandy 15 g brewer’s yeast 1 bay leaf Thyme Fresh lemon Fresh coriander
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Destalk and separate the grapes. If desired, remove the skins and pips also. Put the sugar, wine, bay leaf and spices in the cataplana. Bring to the boil, add the medronho brandy and flambé. Then add the onion and half the herbs. Close the cataplana and boil for approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the grapes, lemon, water and the rest of the herbs. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes more. Add the brewer’s yeast and the toasted almonds (sliced or chopped) and serve.
Suggestion: serve with lemon and coriander ice cream.
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grapes and wine cataplana by Augusto Lima
berry fruit cataplana with carob biscuit and bitter almond ice cream by Carlos Valente preparation Serves 4
Carlos Valente Carlos Valente’s career began very early as a pastry chef and has spanned almost 30 years, both in Madeira and in the north and south of mainland Portugal. He has also worked in Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela, where he now lives. Carlos Valente regularly shares his knowledge with others through his training or consultancy activities in patisserie, chocolate and ice cream. His art, apart from being sweet, is meticulous, and his replicas of monuments or other artistic pieces in sugar and chocolate are famous.
For the carob biscuit 150 g unsalted butter 150 g flour 20 g carob flour 90 g icing sugar 2 g ground cinnamon 8 g baking powder 4 eggs 90 g invert sugar 40 ml milk 20 dl port wine For the bitter almond ice cream 500 g almond paste 1 l milk 45 g powdered milk 125 g sugar 6 g ice cream stabiliser 75 g invert sugar 100 g cream For the cataplana 100 g raspberries 125 g strawberries 60 g blackberries 50 ml sloe liqueur or port wine 2 lemongrass stalks 20 g honey 2 g xanthan gum (thickener) 25 g sugar Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
For the carob biscuit Melt the butter, mix the rest of the ingredients and then put everything in the food processor and allow it to rest. Bake on a baking tray at 220°C for approximately 12 minutes. For the bitter almond ice cream Mix the milk with the almond paste and blend with a wand blender. Add the sugar previously mixed with the powdered milk and stabiliser. Then add the remaining ingredients and pasteurise at 82°C. Place in the ice cream maker. For the cataplana Place the previously chopped berry fruit in the cataplana, followed by the lemongrass, honey and an emulsion made with the xanthan gum, sloe liqueur or port wine and sugar. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Close the cataplana and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Open the cataplana and place the basket of carob biscuit with the almond ice cream inside.
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berry fruit cataplana with carob biscuit and bitter almond ice cream by Carlos Valente
love Algarve cataplana by Chakall preparation Serves 6
Chakall A native of Buenos Aires, Chakall divides his professional activities between several countries. In addition to his restaurants, he is involved in other projects including television programmes and writing books. His communication skills and versatility add rhythm to his cuisine, whose palette seems endless.
500 g pork cut into cubes 500 g chicken cut by hand with the bone on 500 g prawns 500 g clams 250 g cockles 500 g mussels with shells 3-4 ripe tomatoes 1 red pepper 80 g butter 200 ml dry white wine Olive oil 1 large onion 5 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 3 slices rustic bread 2 lemongrass stalks 1 lemon Salt 2 chillis
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Make a marinade with the meat, white wine and garlic. Set aside. Cut the bread into thin slices and place in the cataplana with olive oil and garlic. Fry the bread lightly, remove and set aside. Add the lemongrass stalks to the olive oil and sautĂŠ. The lemongrass can be removed after cooking, but it is essential in the recipe for flavour. Add the garlic and onion until the mixture acquires some colour. Add the peppers and chopped chillies to taste.
SautĂŠ, then add the meat and salt. Put a tablespoon of butter on top but do not stir it in. Lower the heat and add 3 bay leaves. Add the seafood and shellfish. Scatter over a good handful of chopped coriander. Add the remaining white wine and close the cataplana. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Halfway through, add the diced tomatoes. Close the cataplana again and leave to cook. Before serving, season with a few drops of lemon juice.
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love Algarve cataplana by Chakall
cowpea, seasonal mushrooms and local herb cataplana by Diogo Noronha preparation Serves 8
Diogo Noronha Diogo Noronha has an enviable track record and a career spanning over ten years at national and international level. He has been hailed as one of the most promising chefs in Portugal. His personal and professional experience is varied, having experimented with macrobiotics and vegetarianism. This has left its impression on his cooking: an extraordinary facility in handling unusual ingredients that greatly enhance the composition of his dishes, which are characterised by meticulousness and richness.
For the shiitake broth 500 g shiitake mushrooms 200 g onions 150 g carrots 100 g fennel 100 g celery 100 g daikon radish 2 garlic cloves 1 sheet dried kombu 4 sprigs parsley Green leaves of 6 spring onions 2 bay leaves 6 black peppercorns 4 juniper seeds 5 l water For the cowpea and shiitake mushrooms stew 1 kg cowpeas 150 g dried chanterelles 1 sheet dried kombu 2 garlic cloves 150 g spring onions 50 g fennel 100 g celery 100 g fresh parsley 2 sheets wakame 2 sheets royal kombu 150 g daikon radish Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
For the shiitake broth Peel the onions, carrots and daikon. Cut the fennel and celery into equal size pieces. Wipe the shiitake mushrooms well and set aside. In a deep pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and then start by adding the onions and fennel. Sweat over a low heat, but do not allow to brown. Then add the carrots, daikon, celery and garlic cloves. Shake the pan two or three times so that the ingredients absorb the heat and begin to colour.
Finally, add the shiitake mushrooms, folding them together with the remaining ingredients. Add the pepper, juniper and bay leaf. Add water and when it is boiling, cook over a low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes. After removing from the heat, add the sprigs of parsley and leave to absorb the flavour for 15 minutes. Then pass the broth through a fine sieve and set aside.
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For the cowpea and shiitake mushrooms stew Place the cowpeas and dried chanterelles in a container. Cover with water and leave to soak for 12 hours. The amount of water should be sufficient so that the beans remain covered after soaking. Drain well and set aside. In a cataplana over a low heat, add the spring onions, fennel, celery and finely chopped garlic cloves. Sweat for about 2 minutes and then add the cowpeas. Cover with the shiitake mushroom broth, add a pinch of salt and close the cataplana. Leave to cook for approximately 1 hour. After half an hour, check the salt and add a little more broth if necessary. When the beans are cooked, turn off the heat and add the chopped parsley and daikon radish cut into small regular pieces. Set aside. Put the shiitake and shimeji mushrooms in a separate small saucepan and cover with 100 ml of soy sauce and 500 ml of shiitake broth. Bring to the boil and cook over a medium-high heat to stew the mushrooms and at the same time reduce the liquid to one-third of the initial amount.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Once the liquid has reduced, the mushrooms are almost ready. Now add this mixture to the cataplana and bring it to a light boil. Wash the wakame and royal kombu seaweed to remove excess salt from the brine. Chop part of the amount and add to the mixture. The quantity will depend on the desired seaweed flavour. Reserve the rest for finishing. Cut the purple radish into rounds and set aside in a container of iced water. Select some oysterplant, sea fennel, samphire and mizuna leaves and radish sprouts, and put them on top of the cataplana in order to create a contrast between the very fresh, raw and iodinated flavours with the deeper and earthier flavours of the stew.
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mackerel cataplana with cockles, razor clams and corn porridge by Frederico Lopes preparation Serves 4
Frederico Lopes After graduating from the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School, Frederico Lopes spent fifteen years working in various restaurants before he joined Tertúlia Algarvia, which aims to reinvent the region’s traditional cuisine. He believes that the quality of ingredients is a crucial factor for success in cooking and that it cannot be done without passion or dedication.
For the corn porridge 200 g maize meal 100 g maize flour 80 g red chorizo 1 large onion 2 garlic cloves Coriander Fleur de sel 1 l water 10 ml olive oil For the cataplana 3 kg mackerel 300 g razor clams 300 g cockles 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 large white onion 1 medium red onion 100 g cherry tomatoes 1 chilli Lemon thyme Lemon grass Samphire 3 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 100 ml white wine 50 ml olive oil Sweet paprika Fleur de sel Coriander Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
For the corn porridge Put the chorizo, coriander stalks and half an onion in a pot of water. Boil for 20 minutes. Remove the chorizo and strain. Reserve the broth. Remove the skin from the chorizo and cut into small cubes. Put olive oil and onions in a saucepan. SautĂŠ for 3 minutes over a low heat. Then add the chopped garlic and half the broth and reserve the rest.
Put the maize meal and maize flour in a saucepan of cold water. Add the fleur de sel. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, taking care until it starts to boil. The aim is for the texture to be fairly solid. The secret is to start with the broth cold and gradually add more as the mixture thickens until it reaches the desired consistency and is cooked. Place on a tray. Allow to solidify in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Cut into 1 cm cubes. Set aside.
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For the cataplana Fillet the mackerel and remove the belly bones and season with fleur de sel, lemon thyme and a little olive oil. Julienne the peppers and slice the onions in half-moons, chop the garlic and cut the tomatoes in halves. Wash the shellfish well. Put olive oil, the lemon thyme, crushed garlic, bay leaf, lemon grass and chillies in the cataplana. Cook gently over a low heat until the oil is infused with the aromas. Then add the onions and peppers, close the cataplana and cook over a low heat for another 5 minutes. Open the cataplana, splash with white wine and add the tomatoes, paprika, samphire, razor clams, cockles and rolled mackerel fillets, olive oil and cubes of corn porridge on top with a little fleur de sel. Close the cataplana again and cook for 8 minutes over a high heat. Adjust the seasoning. Finish with chopped coriander.
Suggestion: serve on a slice of toasted carob bread with olive oil and garlic.
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Santa Luzia octopus and Aljezur sweet potato cataplana by Henrique Leandro preparation Serves 4
Henrique Leandro Highly respected by his peers both in the Algarve and nationally, Henrique Leandro began his career in France, where he worked in several prestigious restaurants. After returning to Portugal, he has occupied several prominent positions in the region, including as coordinator of the Cookery and Patisserie course of the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School and President of the Algarve Chefs and Confectioners Association. His experience, combined with an adventurous spirit, means he receives constant requests to collaborate on projects such as this, which he embraces with obvious pleasure.
2 kg of grade 2/3 Algarve octopus 1 kg Aljezur new sweet potatoes 150 g mussels 300 g prawns 300 g carpet shell clams 6 ripe tomatoes 2 medium red peppers 2 medium green peppers 2 medium onions 20 g dried garlic 200 ml olive oil 100 g coriander 2 bay leaves 50 g tomato paste Coarse salt Black peppercorns
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Cook the octopus at low temperature for 45 minutes. After this time, leave the pot covered and turn off the heat, leaving the octopus in the liquid until it reaches a temperature of 60°C. Remove and cool immediately. Bake the sweet potatoes in a medium oven at 160°C for 25 minutes, then cool. Blanch the tomatoes and remove the skin and seeds. Reserve the pulp and wash the peppers, onion, dried garlic and coriander. Cut the peppers into medium thick julienne strips, and chop the onion, tomatoes and dried garlic. SautÊ in olive oil but do not allow to fry completely.
Arrange all the ingredients evenly spaced in the cataplana. Place the clams and a sprig of coriander on top. Close the cataplana and cook for 20 minutes at a low temperature.
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Santa Luzia octopus and Aljezur sweet potato cataplana by Henrique Leandro
Sea bass, prawn and crab ravioli cataplana by João Santana preparation Serves 2
João Santana João Santana belongs to a promising new generation of Algarve chefs whose potential belies his short career. He began in the kitchen team of the restaurants at the Monte Rei Golf & Country Club in Vila Nova de Cacela, and is currently sous chef at Tertúlia Algarvia in Faro. Technically faultless, his dishes show seriousness of detail and delicacy of flavours.
600 g sea bass 300 g prawns (size 20/30 per kilo) 1 edible crab ½ medium red pepper ½ medium green pepper 1 medium onion 2 garlic cloves 80 g leeks 100 g tomatoes 1 chilli 2 cl brandy 2 cl white wine Olive oil Coriander Water mint 20 g samphire Salt Pepper 100 g homemade bread
For the ravioli Beat the egg together with the flour, adding a little olive oil and water if necessary. Mix the dough well and leave to rest for about 30 minutes.
Cook the crab in salted water for 12-15 minutes and leave to cool. Open the crab into a container, being sure to retain all the juices. Extract the meat from the body, legs and shell and mix with the juices. Roll out the dough and place the crab meat in the centre. Brush with water to help seal the pastry. Seal the pastry and cut into ravioli shapes.
For the pastry 100 g flour 1 egg Salt Olive oil
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For the cataplana In a saucepan, sautĂŠ the prawn shells in olive oil, splash with brandy and add half the onion and the leeks, tomatoes and garlic cut into uneven pieces. Cover with water. Season lightly and boil for 30 minutes. Strain the broth into a container.
Put olive oil in the cataplana and sautĂŠ the onion cut in half-moons and the peppers cut in julienne strips. Then add the garlic and the chilli. Add the white wine and leave to blend. Add prawn broth until it covers the vegetables. Add the ravioli, sea bass and prawns. Close the cataplana and cook over a low heat. Adjust the seasoning and flavour with chopped coriander, water mint leaves and samphire.
Suggestion: serve with slices of toasted bread.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
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monkfish with razor clams and peas by Justa Nobre preparation Serves 6
Justa Nobre
1 ½ kg boned monkfish, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 kg razor clams 1 kg peas 100 g cured ham 500 g cherry tomatoes 2 dl olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf 1 chilli 1 ½ l fish broth 1 bunch coriander, chopped 1 cup white wine
Justa Nobre is a household name in Portuguese cuisine and is famous for reinventing good Portuguese cooking. Her career has included several major projects, the success of which is attributable above all to the dedication and expertise she invests in the preparation of her dishes. An ambassador for various brands and causes, it was with great enthusiasm that she accepted an invitation to contribute to this project.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Cut the cured ham into cubes and steep in water for 1 hour to remove the salt. After this time, drain the cubes and fry them in olive oil in the cataplana. Once the ham is fried, add the chopped onion, garlic and bay leaf. Add the tomatoes cut into quarters, the monkfish and the peas. Season with salt, pepper and chilli. Add the remaining ingredients except the clams and coriander. Close the cataplana and allow to sweat. If necessary, add a cup of white wine and a cup of fish stock.
Shake the cataplana from time to time. At the end, add the open clams with the shells removed, and the coriander. Close the cataplana again and simmer a little longer to develop the flavour.
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monkfish with razor clams and peas by Justa Nobre
dried dogfish and Algarve moxama cataplana by Lígia Santos preparation Serves 4
Lígia Santos Ligia Santos’s media fame arose from winning the first Portuguese edition of the MasterChef programme, which opened doors for her to the world of cooking and led her to establish the masterCOOK Club, through which she displays her culinary creativity in workshops and culinary demonstrations, wine-themed dinners, the organisation and management of events and consultancy on the development of recipes and products.
1.2 kg small red potatoes 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 onions 4 garlic cloves 150 g finely sliced moxama (dried tuna) 1 sprig parsley 1 sprig coriander 1 piripiri 1 bay leaf 2 dl white wine Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 100 g of crushed pitted olives 1 dried dogfish, skinned and steeped 250 g goose barnacles 3 egg yolks Juice of 1 lemon
Start by peeling the potatoes and boiling for 7 minutes.
Clean the dogfish and season it with salt and a little olive oil. In the cataplana, put two onions and two sliced cloves of garlic, the parsley and coriander chopped, the whole potatoes lightly cooked, the dogfish, olive oil, white wine, fish stock, piripiri and the bay leaf. On top of these, place the rest of the onion, sliced garlic and the goose barnacles. Season with sea salt, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Close the cataplana and as soon as it starts to boil, simmer for about 15 minutes over a low heat. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the lemon juice. Add the chopped parsley and coriander. Season to taste. Remove the cataplana from the heat and add the egg and lemon mixture. Mix well and bring to the boil again until the yolks turn creamy. Top with the moxama, crushed olives and chopped coriander.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
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dried dogfish and Algarve moxama cataplana by LĂgia Santos
baby squid, red shrimp, razor clam and Monchique chorizo cataplana by Manfred Kickmaier preparation Serves 2
Manfred Kickmaier Manfred Kickmaier is the Executive Chef of the Hotel Vila Vita Parc and at the same time a trainer on several culinary courses. He has brought a different approach from his native Austria and his country’s culture is a constant feature of the style of his dishes. All the same, Manfred Kickmaier appears to have made a deep foray into the cuisine of the Algarve, displaying knowledge and expertise in the way he selects and uses the ingredients of his adopted region.
200 g baby squid 300 g red shrimp from the Algarve coast 200 g carpet shell clams 200 g razor clams 60 g Monchique chorizo 15 g Pata Negra cured ham 1 onion 2 garlic cloves 1 small green pepper 1 small yellow pepper 250 g ripe “Rose” tomatoes 100 g spring onions with green leaves 5 cl olive oil ¼ l white wine 40 g yellow cherry tomatoes 15 g tomato concentrate 130 g new potatoes Piripiri Tavira fleur de sel Coriander and coriander sprouts
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Clean and wash the baby squid. Set aside in the refrigerator. Peel the shrimps, leaving two with the head and the others with only the tail. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and set aside. Sauté the shrimp shells and heads in olive oil with some aromatics (onion, garlic, tomato, white wine, salt and pepper) to obtain a very strong, rich shrimp broth. Cut the onion in half-moons, slice the garlic omitting the green part and cut the peppers into julienne strips.
In a saucepan, put olive oil, the diced ham, the chorizo cut into rounds, the onion, peppers and garlic. Add a little fleur de sel and fry for a few minutes. Then add the tomato puree and the tomatoes, skinned and diced. Fold everything together and sauté a little longer. Add the white wine and a little piripiri and allow to cook.
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Separately, cook and then peel the potatoes, peel and sautĂŠ the spring onions and set both aside. In the cataplana, put the base sauce, the shrimp broth, and the clams, red shrimp, razor clams and squid so that they are in contact with the sauce. Close the cataplana and cook over a low heat for approximately 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the potatoes, the spring onions, the cherry tomatoes briefly fried in the fryer, so that the skin comes off easily, and the chopped coriander. Boil for 1-2 minutes.
Suggestion: to serve, garnish with fresh coriander sprouts and serve hot.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
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stingray, mussel and Pata Negra cured ham cataplana by Paulo Fortes preparation Serves 4
Paulo Fortes Paulo Fortes, Executive Chef, shares the leadership of the restaurants at the Hotel Vila Vita Parc, which he joined following experience in other hotels in the region. His cooking is eclectic and meticulous in style, even perfectionist, it could be said. His training at the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School inevitably brought him into contact with the roots of Algarve cuisine, enabling him to make take risks with confidence.
800 g stingray 400 g mussels 250 g Pata Negra cured ham 100 g Portalegre chorizo 2 ½ red peppers 2 yellow peppers 2 medium red onions 6 garlic cloves 1 dl white wine 25 g red chilli Coriander 500 g cho-cho tomatoes 150 g chopped tomatoes 1 l fish broth 15 g wheat flour 2 bay leaves Pernod Ricard 400 g new potatoes Olive oil Fleur de sel White pepper
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Clean the skate and cut into small pieces. Before booking, season with fleur de sel, garlic, olive oil and coriander. To clean the mussels, scrape the shells with a knife and remove the beards. Cut the onion, peppers and ham into julienne strips, the chorizo in rounds and slice the garlic and chillies.
Add olive oil to the cataplana and sautĂŠ the ingredients in the following order: ham, chorizo, garlic, chilli, onion, peeled peppers. Dust with flour and mix well. Add white wine as necessary, let it reduce and add the chopped tomatoes and fish stock.
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While it is cooking slowly for 10 minutes, in a separate pan cook the crushed garlic, bay leaf, salt, coriander and peeled potatoes in fish broth. The potatoes should not be fully cooked, for them to finish cooking in the cataplana.
In the cataplana, add the skate, mussels, chopped coriander and Pernod Ricard. Close the cataplana and cook for 5 minutes. After this time, add the potatoes and adjust the seasoning with fleur de sel and pepper. Lastly, add the Pata Negra ham sliced thinly. Close the cataplana and cook for 10 more minutes.
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
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cataplana “Renato Costa” by Nuno Diniz preparation Serves 4
Nuno Diniz Lastly, here is the recipe that Chef Nuno Diniz created in honour of the educationalist and gastronome Renato Costa. Nuno Diniz is without doubt one of the most famous names in Portuguese cuisine, not only as a chef but also as a trainer, columnist, consultant and judge on the television show Top Chef. His enviable professional career follows a no less brilliant training in various restaurants in European cities like London and Paris. It is difficult to describe his cooking in words. It can perhaps be described as intellectual, or as cooking inspired by knowledge.
½ wild rabbit, cut into pieces 150 g smoked pork belly 250 g dried dogfish, soaked for 24 hours ½ Monchique chorizo 2 heads Algarve garlic 50 g Algarve almond kernels ¼ Odiáxere pão de cabeça loaf, baked in a wood oven Extra virgin olive oil Red wine vinegar 250 ml Grace Vineyard white wine 50 g butter 1 stalk celery 1 organic onion 200 g de cherry tomatoes 1 organic lemon 2 quinces 3 figs 400 g griséus (peas) Organic sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley and coriander 250 g maize flour 1 packet paprika 1 jar whole grain mustard Fleur de sel Freshly ground black pepper 1 dl medronho brandy
Creations and Reinterpretations of Cataplana
Season the rabbit with curry powder, garlic, salt, pepper, a bouquet garni with sage, rosemary, parsley, coriander and thyme, paprika, olive oil and wine. Add the sliced pork belly. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Drain and reserve the marinade and sauté the rabbit in butter until golden. Brush with a little mustard, dust with flour and set aside. Slightly fry the almonds in a little olive oil. Set aside. Sweat the onion and chopped celery in olive oil. Add the quinces cut into quarters and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rabbit. Flambé with medronho brandy. Add two tablespoons of red wine vinegar and the sliced chorizo. Add the marinade, cover and cook. Halfway through cooking, add the dried dogfish and figs previously stuffed with almonds. In the last 5 minutes, add the peas, tomato and lemon zest. Slice the bread and fry in a little olive oil. Sprinkle the cataplana with finely chopped coriander.
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cataplana “Renato Costa” by Nuno Diniz
among the timeless flavours of Renato Costa Sometimes there is an idea that cooking is trivial, not intellectual. But everything that has a serious engagement with life does not deserve that epithet. Cooking is an entire world. Renato Costa Educationalist and Gastronome 1960 - 2011
Renato Costa was born in Barreiro, but spent his life variously in Lisbon, the Alentejo and the Algarve, devoting much of his time to research in education, history, demographics and gastronomy.
His celebrated writings about food have earned him national and international recognition. Examples of this include his participation in events such as the Algarve Chefs’ Forum, the National Congress of Culinary Professionals and the invitation to lead the Allgarve Gourmet team. Renato Costa is one of the household names of Algarve gastronomy, both for his various publications, notably the book “Dito&Feito”, which remains the only book of family recipes from the Algarve region, and for his creation of a new concept: Timeless Cooking. Renato Costa’s passion and dedication to cookery made an invaluable contribution to Portuguese and Algarve cuisine, and the tribute that Chef Nuno Diniz makes to him in a recipe devised exclusively for this project and based on some of the principles of this concept is therefore richly deserved. Put another way, it is a “colourful dish that gives prominence to foods that stand the test of time”.
Renato Costa
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The whiteness of the bodies and souls, the cleanliness of the houses and streets, and the harmony of human beings and the landscape wash me of the grime that has stuck my bones and cleanse the grubby nooks that I carry in my heart. At root, and like our first kings, who called themselves lords of Portugal and the Algarves, wisely separating in their titles what was centripetal from what was centrifugal in the Nation, I do not truly see myself in the motherland. I also do not see myself outside it. I see myself in a sort of limbo of the imagination, where everything is easy, beautiful and springlike. Miguel Torga
interesting facts and tips
The sweet potato is one of the iconic ingredients of Algarve cuisine, accorded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certification because it is grown in the traditional way and without fertilizers. It goes well in both sweet and savoury dishes. In the majority of recipes where it is used, the sweet potato is first baked in its skin in the oven at 160°C for about 25 minutes. The baking time can vary depending on the size of the potato and the desired texture. Also known as green salt or sea asparagus, samphire is a plant which usually grows in marshes and which is abundant in the Algarve, especially around Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António. In cooking, it is used as a salt substitute in salads and also in more complex dishes as a fresh or preserved product.
Interesting Facts and Tips
Olive oil is the main fat in Algarve cuisine which otherwise would not reflect the principles of the Mediterranean diet, which has been recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2013. Whether in açordas, tibornas or stews, bread is another of the characteristic ingredients of the Mediterranean diet and regularly features at Algarve tables. The most common bread in the region is wheat bread. There are over a thousand recipes for cod or “faithful friend”, as it is affectionately called by the Portuguese, who prefer it salted and dried rather than fresh. Whichever state it is before being cooked, cod must go through a desalting or steeping process, consisting of leaving it to soak for at least 24 hours in a container of water, which should be changed 4-5 times.
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Like other regions subject to Mediterranean influences, fish is more frequently consumed in the Algarve than red meat. Stingray and monkfish are among the most prized fish as they make for delicious meals such as those presented in this book. For those who like to get involved in the entire cooking process, we offer explanations here as to how they should be prepared. With stingray, start by cutting off the tip of the head and the tail. Then remove the guts and wash well in cold water with a little vinegar. Next, scrape the skin thoroughly with a knife to remove as much of the slime as possible, wash it again thoroughly and cut into small thin pieces. Monkfish is slightly easier to prepare. First, separate the loins along the spine with a sharp knife, cutting from the head to the tail. Finally, remove the skin that surrounds the loin of the fish.
Interesting Facts and Tips
Whichever cataplana recipe you decide to cook for your family or friends, we suggest that you serve it accompanied by Algarve wines. The choice is not an easy one because, as attested by the many international awards they have received, the Algarve produces high quality wines thanks to its typically Mediterranean climate and the nature of its soils. The vineyards are located in four Protected Designation of Origin regions: Lagos, Lagoa, Portimão and Tavira.
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acknowledgements
This publication is the result of a project funded by ALGARVE 21 - Operational Programme 2007-2013, a strategic partnership between Tertúlia Algarvia, the Algarve Tourism Board and the Algarve Promotion Bureau. The Algarve Cataplana project aims to promote regional development through the promotion of tourism, regional products or productive sectors, and heritage, culture and crafts. Its objective is to create a programme of content and experiences to increase awareness and appreciation of the Algarve Cataplana in particular and the region’s cuisine in general.
Acknowledgements
Those associated with this project include organisations whose cooperation is much appreciated, particularly for the conceptual and operational assistance of CCDR - Algarve Regional Development Coordination Committee; various municipalities and public-private bodies which hosted the cookery demonstrations, as well as the video filming sessions published online, including the municipal councils of Lagos, Portimão, Loulé, Faro and Olhão; Faro Municipal Museum; Faro International Airport; Hotel Faro; the Ria Formosa restaurant; Vila Vita Parc Resort and Spa; Silampos, the brand featured in many of the cataplanas presented here; and the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School which, in addition to providing institutional support, helped to organise and promote the programme of Cataplana Algarve experiences.
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CREDITS Edition Algarve Tourism Bureau Av. 5 de Outubro, nº 18 8000-076 Faro, Portugal Telephone (+351) 289 800 403 Fax (+351) 289 800 466 ata@atalgarve.pt www.algarvepromotion.pt Publisher Algarve Tourism Board Telephone (+351) 289 800 400 Fax (+351) 289 800 489 turismodoalgarve@turismodoalgarve.pt www.visitalgarve.pt Project Implementation and Coordination Tertúlia Algarvia João Amaro, Lélia Madeira, Miguel Cruz, Sandra Godinho Design and Editorial Coordination Tertúlia Algarvia Lélia Madeira, Sandra Godinho Algarve Tourism Board Public Relations Department Text and Revisions Tertúlia Algarvia Lélia Madeira, Sandra Godinho Editorial Assistant David Gago Photography Telma Veríssimo Translation euroscript Portugal, Lda. Graphic Design and Layout Nata Design Printing Nprint Impression 2.100 Copies Free Distribution Legal Deposit 394098/15 Edition 2016 Funded by ALGARVE 21 - Programa Operacional 2007-2013
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